Greenwald marks the death of Dawn Johnsen's nomination to head the Office of Legal Counsel:
[V]irtually everything that Dawn Johnsen said about executive power, secrecy, the rule of law and accountability for past crimes made her an excellent fit for what Candidate Obama said he would do, but an awful fit for what President Obama has done.
Mike Dorning is all sunshine and rainbows:
While jobs have been slow to return, the country has experienced "an incredible productivity boom" that strengthens the economy for an expansion, says Greenhaus of Miller Tabak. Labor productivity, or worker output per hour, grew at a 6.9% annual pace in the fourth quarter, capping the biggest one-year gain since 2002. Over the long run, productivity growth is what raises living standards. Corporate profits also have been rising, up 8% in the fourth quarter, putting businesses on a sounder financial foundation to invest and hire as customers return.
Drum sees storm clouds on the horizon.
Lisa Hymas insists that providing contraception to women in the developing world is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to counter climate change:
Each $7 spent on basic family planning over the next four decades would reduce global CO2 emissions by more than a metric ton, while achieving that same reduction with the leading low-carbon technologies would cost a minimum of $32, according to a recent study by the London School of Economics [PDF], commissioned by the Optimum Population Trust. And if you compare contraception to the potential costs of geoengineering, the potential savings are even more massive.
She is quick to add:
I'm not talking government mandates or coercion or heavy-handed tactics — those approaches aren't just ethically dubious, they're wholly unnecessary.
Metallica gets the smooth jazz treatment:
"On the web, the name on the marquee is all that counts. If you have a brand—or are a brand—you can transcend the entity that hosts you," – David Corn, on Conan's move to TBS.
Marc Lynch doesn't think an American peace plan is very likely to succeed:
I very much sympathize with the instincts of those who want to see the President take the reins and launch a bold, public initiative to push for Israeli-Palestinian peace. Without such an intervention, we may be doomed to another lost year. And it should be a major U.S. priority, linked to broader strategic interests across the region. But I'd hate to see that last card wasted in a poorly conceived roll of the dice. An Obama speech isn't going to be enough, so if that's the play then it had better be set up right in advance.
"Conservatives spend money on different things. They like embassies, and they like occupation. They like the empire. They like to be in 135 countries and 700 bases…. Don’t you think it’s rather conservative to say, ‘oh it’s good to follow the Constitution, oh, except for war. Let the President go to war anytime they want,' … All empires end in financial collapse," – Ron Paul.
The tension between his traditional conservative supporters and the nationalist neo-cons is a fascinating rift. Not that big a deal right now, but no party claiming to defend the constitution and to restore fiscal balance can avoid the question of the cost of defense and the extraordinary leaps in unaccountable presidential war powers in the last decade.
Or why Jon Chait (and I) are not reporters.
Japan's largest business newspaper gets serious about restricting content to subscribers:
Links to Nikkei’s home page require a detailed written application. Among other things, applicants must spell out their reasons for linking to the site. In addition, regular readers of the site will also notice that the paper has disabled the ability to right-click — which usually brings up a menu including “copy link address.” The paper’s “link policy” ends on an ominous note: “We may seek damages for any violations of these rules.”
Tina Fey reprises her Palin impression:
The Dish 